The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-04-10
THE SAILOR DOLL.

or years old, who, until.ahout a year
ago, used to ply her trade of profess
SIGNAL beggar, under the pretense of
-eihng matches, in one of the streets
leading from the Embankment 10 the
strand. She was not pretty chlld, but
good many passers-by dropped cop
pers into her dirty outstretched hand
moved to compassion by the sight OF
her pinched features and ragged gar
ments. Ii Intercepted, she said her
name was Polly that she had q sick
mother and several starving brother,
ana sisters at home, and, in fact, tolu
the old familiar story SO gliby as to sug-
gest strong doubts of her veracity. AT
all events, she evidently preferred gifts
| OF money to any other form of sympa-
thy, for she rather poin;edly avoided
klnd-hearted inquirers who manifested
curiosity about her personal history.
twas not generally suspected that
Polly hadaYoung colleague and associate
who, though he kept himself modesuy
20 the background, was the senior
partner and guiding spirit of her enter
prise. This was another little ragged
ouIca> named Jim; and the two were
brother and sister, or, at least, they
were both owned by drunken yirago
who they called mother, and regarded
as their common parent. Jim was few
years old-r than Polly, and almost ever
since they could toddle these small
adventurers had been sent forth daily TO
beg or steal in company. The boy had
long ago thumped his sister into cheer
full submission to his sovereign Will
while, in q rough-anG-ready sort Of way
he had always Ected as her champion
and protector.
Jim also was provided with 3 box or
two of matches for the sake of appear
!ances, but he rarely troubled himself to
attempt to dispose of them. His mis-
sion was to direct MS sisters operations,
which he did from some convenient
lurking place on the opposite side of the
street. conveying his behests to her by
scarcely perceptible signs, and keeping
a sharp lookout for the police, whether
IN uniform or in plain clothes. Expe-
rience had developed the Buys natural
sharpness and cunning TO q point which
enabled him, almost by instinct, to dis
tinguish the kind of persons of whom it
would be dangerous or impolitlc 10 beg {;
while his judgment was scarcely less
infaliible in scenting a detective or a
school board Off lal.
The youngsters were by no means
unhappy, in spite of all the brutal
mother at home, who beat them cruelty
when the days gains were smaller than
usual. Life has its consultations even
for the most miserable; the half frozen,
starving tramp, as he munehes crust
under the lee of sheltering wall, forgets
his troubles for the moment, and
realizes happiness and contentment.
Jim and Polly did not dislike their occu
patton, for acquisltiveness is inherent
to human nature. and they derived q
certain amount of pleasureable excite
ment from the risks they ran in prey
ing upon the community. by conspiring
together, they Systematically deceived
their parent as to how much they gained
They looked forward, too. with cheerful
confidence, to happy future, when,
relieved from domestic tyranny, they
would themselves reap the full benefit
| of their joint exertions, and be entirely
| free 70 follow their own devices.
| These aspirations, however, were
never destined 10 be realized Last
| winter Polly coughed i good deal and
grew visibly thin. Her brother observed
the fact, but, so far from causing him
alarm or uneasiness. he was edited
| by the attention and commiseration
which the girls condition excited.
Silver pieces were freely bestowed upon
her, and for some weeks the children
resped quite harvest. RuS at length
one unhappy day, gentleman was SO
shocked at hearing Polly cough that he
carried her off there and then, in spite
of her protestationS, to neighbOrirH
hospital, where, to Jin's dismay, she
was detained as an in patient.
Words would fail TO describe lin s
disgust and perturbation at being depri-
we'd OF his sisters valuable service Just
at moment when trade was so exceed
ingly brisk. 1t never occurred 10 him that
there was anything seriously wrong with
Polly's heath, and he regarded her
abduction as a piece. of unwarranted
otficiousness. He would have interfered
had he dared, but his native modesty
deferred him from coming forward.
At length an event occurred which
seemed so important to Jim that he
presenting himself at the hospital and
He learned one day of the sudden death
of their mother, who had been killed
from q fall while intoxicated. F ar from
being overcome or depressed by-this
tragic incident, Jim hailed it with joy
as the dawn of q new and happy era in
the existence of Polly and himself. They
were now free to realize the happiness
which they so often talked OF, and Jim,
in his elation, felt sure that when Polly
heard this she would not hnger another
day in the hospital, but would rejoin
him at once, and start life afresh under
the most encouraging auspices. He.
therefore. without giving himself too
much time for consideration, went
straight away to the institution, and
TREMENDOUSLY made his petition to the
hall porter.
The porter was inclined to be very
short and sharp with Jim until he had
fully explained his errand, when the
mans manner changed, and he invited
the lad quite ciYiily and pleasantly to
take q seat by the stove in the great
hall while he sent a message upstairs.
Jim thankfully sat in front of the blaze.
reveling in the unaccustomed warmth.
and inwardly trembling with pleasur-
able excitement ct the prospect of seeing
Polly again and of telling her the
wonderful news. Alter brief interval
k nd young Women-one of the nurses
came up to him, and, after asking
him his name, conducted him into .
small room on the ground floor. Jim
$500 aara-lxv rcu0d for Polly % H..